7 Best Sci-fi Movie Reboots of the Last 15 Years

These seven movies, all released in the last 15 years, have remade and rebooted some classic sci-fi stories and have done an incredible job at revitalizing them for the modern day. Science-fiction has been one of the most prominent genres of cinema since the medium began. Over the decades, we’ve seen some remarkable sci-fi stories brought to the screen, but many of these tales have been reimagined in recent years, with contemporary technology, innovative filming techniques, advanced special effects, and more refined acting performances gifting them critical acclaim.

From acclaimed filmmakers such as Denis Villeneuve, Yorgos Lanthimos, Alex Garland, Gareth Edwards, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, and more, these seven remakes and reboots have revitalized the sci-fi genre in recent years. From independent movies to high-budget blockbusters, these projects have brought some age-old sci-fi stories back into the spotlight, some of which have been around for over a century. With more reboots on the way, such as Masters of the Universe, Resident Evil, The Brave and the Bold, and more, we can’t wait to see the sci-fi genre expand even further.

7) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

From screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver and director Rupert Wyatt, Rise of the Planet of the Apes acted as both a reboot and prequel to the original Planet of the Apes film series. The first movie released in 1968, and saw three human astronauts travel to the future where the Earth had been taken over by intelligent apes. Rise of the Planet of the Apes showed where this all began, with modern day visual effects and remarkable motion capture performances from the likes of Andy Serkis, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary, and more bringing the apes to life. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was grounded, realistic, relatable, and emotional, making it far more impactful than its source material.

6) Dredd (2012)

Based on the 2000 AD comic strip titled Judge Dredd and its eponymous character, Pete Travis’ Dredd, written and completed by Alex Garland, released in 2012. Karl Urban starred as Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer in the dystopian metropolis of Mega-City One, where the police act as judge, jury, and executioner, who is tasked with bringing order to the unruly residents of a 200-floor high-rise. Dredd rebooted a live-action version of this story after Danny Cannon’s Judge Dredd from 1995 brought it to screen for the first time, and was grittier, more faithful to the comic source material, and more self-contained and intimate than its lackluster predecessor.

5) The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

While not directly rebooting a particular story, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps revitalized Marvel’s First Family after several failed attempts at bringing them to the big-screen. Directed by Matt Shakman, First Steps starred Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as a new iteration of the Fantastic Four, and explored the team’s battle against a comic-accurate Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). First Steps was far more successful than 2005’s Fantastic Four, 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and 2015’s Fantastic Four, imbuing the characters with colour, vibrancy, energy, and a unique visual style that was missing from 20th Century Fox’s attempts.

4) The Invisible Man (2020)

Few stories have been adapted for cinema and TV as many times as H. G. Wells’ 1897 novel, The Invisible Man. In 2020, Leigh Whannell wrote and directed a new reboot of the story, however, and this iteration quickly became one of the most critically-acclaimed and popular versions. Whannell’s reboot twists the story of a scientist who works out a way to turn himself invisible, but cannot reverse it, by having the titular Invisible Man, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), use his new gift to stalk his ex-girlfriend, Cecilia Kass (Elizabeth Moss), whom he routinely abused during their relationship. This transformed the tragic sci-fi story into a horror movie, which gave it a unique tone and fresh pacing that set it apart from adaptations that date back to James Whale’s 1933 original.

3) Godzilla (2014)

Rebooting Toho’s iconic Godzilla franchise was no mean feat for Legendary Pictures, but Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla from 2014 was a fantastic way to launch a new film series. While the MonsterVerse has had its issues in the decade since Godzilla’s release, this movie received high praise for reimagining the typical Godzilla-centric story. With modern visual effects, stunning cinematography, faithfulness to Toho’s history, and brilliant performances from the likes of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Godzilla is one of the most memorable sci-fi movies ever. Exploring a disaster and monster movie from the ground, Godzilla set itself apart immediately, though the MonsterVerse’s evolution may have soured its impact somewhat.

2) Bugonia (2025)

The most recent addition on this list, Bugonia was developed by acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos as an English-language remake of Save the Green Planet!, a South Korean movie from 2003, directed by Jang Joon-hwan. Bugonia follows conspiracy theorist Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), who abduct Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of pharmaceutical company Auxolith, whom they believe to be an alien planning to destroy the Earth. Save the Green Planet! was wild, funny, and unique, and Bugonia has pushed these traits to the extreme. Plemons and Stone deliver incredible performances, and Lanthimos’ signature style was the perfect vehicle to carry this unorthodox story.

1) Dune (2021)

Following on from David Lynch’s Dune adaptation in 1984, bringing the story of Frank Herbert’s 1965 epic sci-fi novel to the big-screen, Denis Villeneuve took control of the story to breathe new life into it in 2021. Dune hit theaters as one of the most expansive, visually-impressive, and epic cinematic experiences in history, and this has continued in a sequel, and will surely continue in an upcoming third instalment. Villeneuve’s ground-breaking filmmaking style was perfect for the huge story of Dune, and his world-building in these movies is second-to-none, which is something that Lynch’s version didn’t have the time for. It’s hard to imagine a sci-fi movie reboot being as immense, successful, and industry-changing as Dune.

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